What happened
On July 20, 2003, at approximately 09:40 UTC, a Discus CS glider was involved in a fatal accident near Törlweg in the municipality of Reichenau/Rax, Austria. The aircraft, which was being operated privately, had departed from Wiener Neustadt West earlier that morning via a winch launch.
During the flight, the glider was observed traveling along the Rax mountain ridge from east to west-southwest, heading toward the Otto-Schutzhaus. While performing a left-hand turn, the aircraft began to lose altitude. As the pilot continued the turn, the right wingtip struck a rock face near the Törlweg area. The impact caused the right wing to break into several pieces, leading to a total loss of control. The fuselage subsequently struck the ground and slid down a gravel gully. The pilot sustained fatal injuries in the crash.
The investigation
Because the accident occurred prior to the implementation of the 2005 Aircraft Accident Investigation Act, the investigation was conducted under the previous legal framework. The sequence of events was reconstructed using statements from two paragliders and a pedestrian, alongside findings from the Reichenau/Rax Gendarmerie and investigators. The investigation focused on the flight path and the mechanical impact with the terrain.
Findings
- The aircraft was operating under visual flight rules (VFR) with clear weather conditions.
- The accident was caused by the right wingtip striking a rock face during a descending left-hand turn.
- The impact resulted in the structural failure of the right wing and the total destruction of the aircraft.